Indicators

Sometimes, it's hard to determine a way to assess how things are going, or if things are changing. When it's difficult to directly measure change, you look for indicators of progress or change (if you can't directly measure the change).

For example, from one day to the next, it's hard to say if my stress level is going down. I still feel stressed, but an indicator that my stress level is going down is my retainer. I broke my retainer two weeks ago and it took me over a week and one-half to call the dentist. When I lost my retainer over Christmas break, I called the dentist IMMEDIATELY. That I "forgot" to call the dentist for so long shows that I'm not clenching my jaw as much, my teeth aren't annoying me as much, and therefore, my stress level is lower.

Another indicator is that I didn't complain about breaking my retainer here before now!



(If my teeth and retainer are interesting, read more about them here.

Another change that is hard to assess is whether it is getting "easier" with 3 little girls (TM) (heh!). One indicator that it is getting easier is that we spent 2 hours hanging out at the Children's Museum this weekend. In the past, it was too crazy to try to stay for more than 1.5 hours. I would start really worrying about losing the little girls--even with MWH there.

The little girls used to all want to do different things, they would go in three different directions, and it was HARD. This last visit to the museum, they played together (or in two groups and there were two adults, so that was fine), were engaged in activities, and not too "all over the place" for 2 hours. When we left, MWH and I were actually not too frazzled. Another indicator of positive improvement.

(Yea, I'm a geek.) What indicators do you use in your life to assess how things are going for you?